Container



J. F. HASLETT Jan. 5, 1932.

CONTAINER Filed March 23, 1927 EN 73,? Y /W Patented Jan. 5, 1932 JOHN F. HAS LETT, O F SA'USALITO, CALIFORNIA I CONTAINER Application filed March 23,

This invention relates to containers, and particularly to containers for substances bear-' ing radium emanations. It is known that if a substance, such as water,is placed in a container having therein a radioactive material, the substance or water becomes charged with the rays or emanations' from the radioactive materials, such rays or emanations being commonly called niton or niton gas. Liquids or substances so charged'have medicinal uses,

but the niton gases or emanations heretofore have soon escaped from the liquids or substances with a loss or decrease in the medicinal property of the liquids. If this loss of niton gases or emanations can be reduced, the

medicinal effectiveness of the charged liquids or substances can be increased.- The loss has beenparticularly noticeable in jars used to charge drinking water with radium emanation s, where-a cover to keep out dust is provided for the jar opening through which water, or'the substance to be charged, is added to the ar atintervals.

"An object of the invention is to provide an improved container of this type, with which the loss of emanations through the filling or other openings will be largely if not entirely prevented: which may be easily and conveniently handled and' moved; and with 3 which the entranceof dust to, or contamination of the contents of. the container will be effectively prevented.

' A further object of the invention is to provide an improved container for charging substances with radium emanations; with which. the radioactive lining will be fully protected from injury at the open end of the container, and escape of'the emanations reduced or prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide'an improved method of preventing loss of radium'emanations from containers in which substances charged withradium emanations may bestored. V

' A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for accomplishing any of the above objects, which will be relatively simple, practical, effective and inexpensive.

Further objects and advantages will-be 1927. Serial no. 177,572.

out hereinafter in connection with theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation, largely in section, of a jar or container constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is'a partial sectional elevationofthe same, on a somewhat larger scale to better illustrate the function of the liquid seal;

Fig. 3 is a plan of theunder face of the cover of the ar; and

Fig. 4 is a plan of the open'end of the jar. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a shell, jar, or receptacle 1 may be formed of any suitable material, such as, pottery,

be withdrawn. The-upper end of the jar opens upwardly and is provided with an inwardly extending flange 3 which somewhat restricts the opening of the receptacle or shell, and provides 'a thickened wall portion at the open end of the shell or receptacle. The upper end face or wall of the receptacle 'or shell. as thickened bv the flange 3. is provided with a peripherally continuous groove 4 1 which opens upwardly and surrounds the restricted opening formed by the flange 3. The portion of the shell or receptacle forming the inner side wall of the groove 4 is formed to permit the passage of any surplus liquid which may be in the groove. into the interior and may have a suitable faucet 2 by which liquid contents of the receptacle may flow the outer side wall of the groove, This result may be conveniently, and preferably is, obtained by'placing the upper edge of the inner'side wall of the groove 4 ata lower level than the upper edge of the outer side wall.

.The shell or receptacle 1 is also provided with a suitable closure or cover 6 which preferably rests upon the upper edge of the outer s de wall of the groove, so as to be supported thereon. and the under face of this cover is provided with a depending. continuous flange '7 which depends into and is received in the groove 4 whenever the cover is in closed posiprevents-the entrance of beneath the cover to and tionl Thus when the cover is in closed position, the flange 7 will extend into the groove 4 and form, with any liquid in that groove,

a liquid seal preventing'the passage ofair from the interior of the receptacle. Inasmuch as the cover rests upon the upperedge of the outer wall of the groove, the groove will be closed largely to the outside air and therefore evaporation of the liquid forming the seal in the groove 4 will be largely prevented. Any surplus-of liquid in the groove will automatically over-g flow into the interior of the receptacle; 7 The under face'of the cover 6, particularly the area enclosed or bounded by the flange '7,

is formed to directinto the groove 4, that is, downwardly along the flange '7', any molsture which condenses; .or collects upon the under ing toward the flange 7, so that any moisture condensing or collecting on the; under;

face of the cover will descend-bygr'ayity and capillary action into the groove sufiiciently to "provide -or replenish the 7 liquid t-here'ir'i forming the liquid seal. Any sul'p'luswill flow automatically over the inner wall of the groove 4 into the receptacle. 'The cover is also preferably made of pottery, and it has been found that moisture tendsrto-g-collect more readily upon pottery surfaces than upon surfaces of many other materials. The .collection of globules of such moisture is "illustrated at 8 in Fig. 2,; the liquid forming the seal in the groove being indicated at 9.,

I have found thatW-hen the-substance or materialpla-ced in the receptacle is a liquid, or one having natural moisture,.the moisture evaporating therefrom into the 'air ofthe receptacle from this substance or liquidwill to some extent condense or collect upon the under face of the cover as shown in FignQ, and descend. into the groove 4 toprovide a continuous supply of liquid for the seal automatically. However, one may place a liquid for theseal in the groove 4 at intervals if desired, and if the groove should be filled to such an extent that some of the liquid idisplaced by the flange of cover as it, descends into the groove will overflow, this overflow will ,be ,into the receptacle and not over the outer wall or surface of the receptacle where it might drop upon asupporting' table and injure'the sameor present an unsightly appearance. The liquid seal also effectively dust tozthe' recep? tacle.

I have found that radium einanationshave a greater affinity for air than for water, and

heretofore there has been some loss of emanations through the air beneath the cover. I have found that with the liquidseal' for th cover, the loss of emanations from the jar is active substances Jhandle by which one may radioactive "lining,

very greatly reduced, if not entirely prevented.

vention, the receptacle is provided with a lining 1O teria l, containing particles 0f Ea radioactive su-bstance,"rsuch as radium ores These radio give ofi 'raysor emanations Whichcharge the contents of the receptacle. By preventing loss' of the emanations from thecontents of the receptacle','a greater degree of radioactivity or greater charging of the contentsmay beobtained. This lining extends to the flange 3, but is'of athickness lessfthani the-extent to which the flange 3 extends into "or ac'ross, .the open :end of the receptacle, so that there will be-aysl ight internal rib-around the interiorof the {open end of the container; Such receptacles, particularly when made :of pottery, are usually heavy and dfificult'for one to handle, par ticularly for housewives,

extending bead provides liftv or move the receptacle without: danger of the hands slip- In the preferred embodiment of'the inof radioactive material such as a cement, or porous clay or other blnder maan-dthisinwardly a very effective ping therefrom, especially when one grasps the receptacle at its open end.-

flange '3 further acts asa=b1 1fler for the radioactive lining 10',an-d by preventing direct contact of the cover with the radioactive lining the I flangeB protects the upper ended-ge'of the andiprevents chipping-0f the same through shocks'such as n-my be caused by the placing oflthe-cover in position too violently. 1 v i g Receptacles or ja'rssuch ashave been herein described and illustrated are very useful inthe charging of drinking water, andf'ifo'r best results should be kept substantially filled with 'drinking water; For thisreason'it'is customary with many.

is therefore "usually "close to the top, 7 and escape of thew-emanations which are also called niton or'niton gas, will now bra-largel-y; prevented; The sueh a water jar-onreceptacle collects in globules upon the under face of the cover 6, andsettles ,into the groove 4, thus keepingithe groove filledatall times withisufiicient liquid to eifectively sealthe joint between the cover and the receptacle. 1'

comprises a receptacle having an; open upper users to fill the receptacle every time 'thatdrinking water is; removed, or-at frequentintervals. The water moisture of the air in It will be obviousth'at various changes i the details, which have been herein described end with an upwardly opening, continuous groove surrounding the opening, and a cover resting upon the outer wall of the groove when in closed position over said opening and having a flange portion depending into so as to conduct into the groove moisture collecting upon the under face of the cover, the inner wall of the groove being formed to conduct into the receptacle any surplus moisture in said groove, before such surplus can overflow the outer wall of the groove.

2. A container for charging substances with radium emanations, comprising a shell having an open upper end with an inwardly extending flange portion restricting the opening, a cover for said shell, and a lining containing radio active material covering the inner surface of said shell, extending to said flange portion, but of less thickness than the inward extension of said portion, whereby said flange portion protects the lining against injury, and. also serves to prevent slippage of ones hands grasping the open end of the shell while moving or handling the shell.

In testimony to the foregoing sign my name.

I hereto JOHN F. HASLETT. 

